Photos by Kelly Sullivan: Following a presentation, members of the Seattle Ahmadiyya Muslim Community made themselves available to the public on Sunday, Sept. 17, during the Coffee, Cake and True Islam event at the mosque that was vandalized outside Monroe.
The profanity sprayed onto Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Seattle’s mosque just outside Monroe, WA was painted over early Saturday morning by an anonymous resident. The fresh coat nearly matches the shade of the original gray exterior.
Local chapter president Irfan Chaudhry told attendees of the ad hoc Coffee, Cake and True Islam event held Sunday afternoon it was accomplished by a good Samaritan. He said he doesn’t believe the act of vandalism that occurred last week at 23515 Old Owen Road is representative of Monroe or Snohomish County as whole.
Ali said it’s possible the vandalism was committed by youths or someone else randomly targeting the building.
“We can’t judge the intent of someone else,” he said, “but we know how this makes us feel.”
The congregation’s building has served different purposes over the last 1 1/2 years. It had also functioned as a chapel, which was also vandalized while open, Somers said. He said it is important to reiterate that the Muslim community is welcome now, especially with tensions running so high throughout the country. He said he does not know of any other mosques in the county.
Monroe resident Vicki Perea-Mcintyre said she hopes the community will keep coming together, but not under the same circumstances in the future. She said she came out Sunday to stand up for what is right, and back up the people who back up her community.
“They have been so good to us,” she said.
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